Gaura plant named ‘Summer Star Baby’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Gaura plant named ‘Summer Star Baby’, characterized by its compact, upright to broadly spreading plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; light red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Gaura lindheimeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUMMER STAR BABY’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gaura plant, botanically known as Gaura lindheimeri and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Summer Star Baby’.

The new Gaura is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Foxley, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program is to create new semi-upright Gaura plants with attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Gaura plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2006 in Foxley, United Kingdom of a proprietary selection of Gaura lindheimeri identified as code designation OSEXM, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Gaura lindheimeri as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Gaura plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Foxley, United Kingdom in July, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gaura plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled environment in Foxley, United Kingdom since September, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Gaura plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gaura have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Summer Star Baby’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Summer Star Baby’ as a new and distinct Gaura plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to broadly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Light red purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Gaura are darker red purple in         color than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Gaura have shorter peduncles than plants of         the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of Gaura lindheimeri ‘KLEGL06261’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of ‘KLEGL06261’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura have broader leaves than plants of         ‘KLEGL06261’.     -   2. Plants of the new Gaura have slightly larger flowers than         plants of ‘KLEGL06261’.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Gaura are brighter red purple in         color than flowers of plants of ‘KLEGL06261’.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of Gaura lindheimeri ‘Crimson Butterflies’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,189. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of ‘Crimson Butterflies’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura are more compact than plants of         ‘Crimson Butterflies’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Gaura are green in color whereas         leaves of plants of ‘Crimson Butterflies’ are green to deep red         in color.     -   3. Plants of the new Gaura have shorter peduncles than plants of         ‘Crimson Butterflies’.

Plants of the new Gaura can also be compared to plants of Gaura lindheimeri ‘Florgaure’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,518. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Gaura differ from plants of ‘Florgaure’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura are more compact than plants of         ‘Florgaure’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Gaura are green in color whereas         leaves of plants of ‘Florgaure’ are dark green to brown in         color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Gaura plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Gaura plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Summer Star Baby’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Summer Star Baby’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late spring and early summer in 12-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Gaura production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 28° C. and night temperatures ranged from 8° C. to 18° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gaura lindheimeri ‘Summer Star Baby’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Gaura             lindheimeri identified as code designation OSEXM, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown selection of Gaura             lindheimeri, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 16 days at             temperatures about 20° C. to 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 to 35             days at temperatures about 20° C. to 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 to 40             days at temperatures about 15° C. to 18° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; developing roots, close to             164D in color and older roots, close to 166D, actual color             of the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright to broadly spreading plant habit; broad inverted             triangle to flattened globular in overall shape; freely             basal branching habit with about 15 primary branches and             about 46 secondary branches developing per plant, pinching             enhances lateral branch development; dense and bushy plant             form; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 15.8             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 22.2             cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 39.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 10.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Moderately strong; flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to horizontal.         -   Texture and luster.—Moderately to densely pubescent;             moderately glossy.         -   Color, developing.—Close to 138B.         -   Color, developed.—Close to between 138B and 144B; upper             surface strongly tinged with close to N186C and 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.6 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Narrowly cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire; moderately to strongly undulate.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Densely pubescent;             slightly glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Densely pubescent; matte.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 143A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; older leaves             moderately to strongly tinged with close to N186C; venation,             close to 145A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to between 143A and 146B; older leaves slightly to             moderately tinged with close to 183A, 200B and 200C;             venation, close to 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 1.25 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; margins, moderately to densely pubescent; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Moderately to densely             pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 145A;             proximally, strongly tinged with close to 181A and 181B.             Color, lower surface: Close to 146C; proximally, strongly             tinged with close to 182B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single flowers arranged on             terminal and axillary racemes; freely flowering habit with             about 17 flowers per inflorescence; flowers face mostly             outwardly to slightly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             late spring and throughout the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one week on             the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 10.7 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 3.3 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.9 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Texture and luster: Moderately to densely             pubescent; matte. Color: Close to between 63A and 185B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About             2 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Obovate, slightly concave.             Apex: Acute. Base: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately velvety; matte. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 68A; distally, close to 68B;             venation, close to 67B. Fully opened, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 68A; venation, close to 67B; color             becoming closer to 61B with development.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Four in a single whorl. Length: About             1.7 cm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate; strongly             reflexed. Apex: Narrowly acute. Base: Broadly cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; margins, moderately pubescent; matte. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Moderately pubescent; matte. Color,             upper surface: Close to 53D. Color, lower surface: Close to             63A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 9.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Sparsely to moderately pubescent; moderately glossy.             Color: Close to between 138B and 144B; upper surface             strongly tinged with close to N186C and 187A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 7 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Aspect: About 15° from peduncle             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:             Close to 200A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Eight per flower.             Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color: Close to             NN155D. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm.             Anther diameter: About 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 187A.             Pollen amount: Scarce to moderate. Pollen color: Close to             4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             2 cm. Style length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to 68C;             proximally, close to N155B. Stigma shape: Three-parted.             Stigma size: About 1 mm by 2 mm. Stigma color: Close to 4C.             Ovary color: Close to 200A. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Gaura to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gaura have been observed to     have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and     temperatures ranging from about −18° C. to about 35° C. and to be     suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 6 to 10. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Gaura have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Gaura plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gaura plant named ‘Summer Star Baby’ as illustrated and described. 